ISLAMABAD — The federal government has signaled no change in its tough stance against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah advising Imran Khan’s sons — Kasim and Sulaiman — to avoid visiting Pakistan, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar ruling out any possibility of pardoning those involved in the May 9 violence.
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Speaking to a private TV channel, Rana Sanaullah reiterated his earlier position that it would be “better” for Imran Khan’s sons to stay away if their political intent involved violence. He questioned why they did not visit during their father’s four-year tenure as prime minister.
He added that while the government would issue visas if they applied, the two do not hold National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), which would otherwise allow them to visit without a visa.
The PM’s aide also expressed optimism about Pakistan’s future, claiming that “several national issues” would be resolved within the next two to three years, and asserted that the coalition partners had the political maturity to avoid destabilizing moves.
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No Forgiveness for May 9 Violence
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar emphasized that those convicted for their role in the May 9 attacks would not be pardoned, stating, “Holding an office does not mean that a crime ceases to exist.”
He maintained that PTI lawmakers had only been disqualified after convictions in related cases and accused the party of repeatedly avoiding dialogue despite government efforts to engage.
Tarar claimed that PTI was “fractured” into multiple factions, predicting that any future protests would fail, citing the collapse of the party’s August 5 plan.
On PTI’s decision to boycott upcoming by-elections following the disqualification of several of its lawmakers, Tarar warned that avoiding the polls would be “a huge policy mistake.”
